Domino Effect
by JeiC
Summary: I knew it wasn't the best place to study, but did they have to be so annoying?


Disclaimer: Nope, dun own Kingdom Hearts. I just write silly stories to try and quiet the plot bunnies.  
Warnings: mild angst…maybe

**Domino Effect**

by JeiC

* * *

SLAP!

I resist the urge to cringe, curling up more with my book in the previously quiet corner I had acquired in the student lounge. Turning up the volume on my music player, I try to drown out the sounds of the game on the other side of the area, making sure that my headphones are seated in the optimal position to assist in the effort.

SLAP!

Gritting my teeth I resist the urge to glare at the foursome playing dominoes on the other side of the room. I don't care if they play, but do they absolutely have to slam the pieces down onto the table?

I know that the student lounge isn't the best place to try to study, but this is one of the few areas that my cell phone works in the building and I'm waiting for a text message from either Sora or Kairi in case they're running late from class, or more preferably, for them to show up and save me from this inane torture.

SLAP!

Resisting the urge to let loose a jolt of dark power at the group, I try to force my focus back on the book in my hands. I'm pretty sure revealing that part of me would cause more trouble than the immediate gratification is worth.

It probably isn't helping that my reading assignment is drier than the desert in Agrabah and more repetitive than Xemnas. I've got a fairly quiet semester this time with only general education classes filling my schedule, but I kind of miss having any core classes. College has been an interesting experience…certainly different from when I traveled to different worlds, though I'm not sure which I prefer. Both are journeys, but of different types.

Not that any of my classmates were aware of my activities during the two years I was gone. Though, I suppose to them, it had only been a year, since the first year, this world had been swallowed by the darkness.

Sometimes I wish people would blame me for it, but no one seems the wiser that it happened, and Sora, Kairi, and I agreed that it would be better if we didn't tell anyone of our adventures, or in my case, misadventures.

Sighing, I dig into my pocket to look at my phone on the off chance that I didn't feel it vibrate. As soon as I see that I have no missed messages, I take note of the time before shoving it back into my pocket. Where the hell are they? Even though they have different classes, both of them should have been out by now – I'm hungry.

I also am the one with the vehicle so if I have to wait too much longer, they're out of luck.

SLAP!

Both of them are so getting an earful when they get here unless they have really good explanations. Well…Kairi might have a good one. The other members of her group are more disorganized than Sora's bedroom, and that's saying something. She's been trying to get them motivated so that they can get their project done.

As for Sora…I don't know. He's usually down here by now being a much less annoying distraction than the four across the room.

Out of habit, I run a hand through my hair debating if I want to try to find a hair elastic in my backpack. It has only gotten longer since we came back a few years ago.

SLAP!

I swear, to whatever I need to, that I am going to hurt them soon. Looking around, I'm not the only one that is aggravated by their loud gaming. There's a certain level of noise that's expected here since it isn't the library, but this is getting ridiculous.

Making another attempt at reading the pages before me, there's a distraction of another type, "Riku!" I focus my attention upwards at the out of breath redhead, "I am so sorry I'm late. I was trying to delegate out tasks, and they were being less than cooperative again, and I didn't realize the time until I finally got them to cooperate."

Shrugging, I brush it off, "Don't worry about it – Sora isn't even here yet and I haven't gotten a message from him either."

SLAP!

Immediately I'm glaring at the group again as Kairi takes one of the empty seats near me. "Well, that's annoying. Have they been doing it long?"

"About two hours now. I don't care if they play, but do they have to slam the pieces on the table?" It's rare that I let anyone know that anything is annoying me, but this torture has been going on for far too long. That and Kairi is one of the few people I trust enough to show it to.

She cringes at my admission, "I'm sorry. Where's Sora anyway?"

Shrugging, my eyes drift back down to my open book, "Beats me. Haven't gotten a message from him. Pretty soon he's going to be walking." Didn't I just say this not a minute ago? Well, maybe not the threat of making him walk home part.

Would I honestly do that to my best friend? Not really. I might let him walk a little bit though.

SLAP!

Jumping slightly, the redhead questions, "Do you have a lot of assignments to work on?" That grin from her can only mean that she's plotting something, and as pure hearted as she is, that still makes me worry.

Keeping my thumb in between the pages, I flip the book over to look at the cover, "Nothing else that's due this week anyway. I wasn't planning on starting my paper until tomorrow."

Leaning forward to look directly in my eyes, I suddenly wish my bangs were thicker to hide behind. "Good because you and I are going out tonight. Just the two of us."

Raising an eyebrow at Kairi, I dare not ask her intentions. I know she doesn't think of me as anything more than an older brother at best. Doesn't mean I can't ask about our third housemate, "What about Sora? You know he hates to be left behind."

"Yeah, well, that'll teach him to get his work done quickly, won't it?" Leveling a look at the red head, she seems to understand that I'm not buying it, "Come on, Riku! It'll be fun…it's been a long time since I've had a chance to hang out with just you and I know Sora's got a big project that he needs to work on. You know how easily he gets distracted when we're around."

"Okay! Okay…you win." Just like my spiky-haired best friend, I can't deny her the innocent request.

"What did Kairi win?" Looking up I give our previously missing third person who is munching on a big, soft pretzel a glare of annoyance. So that's where he had gone. Tossing my book in my bag and standing up, I snatch up the remainder of his snack, claiming it for myself.

Taking a bite, I smirk, "Thanks for the pretzel," before I walk away.

"Hey! That's mine!" Sora chased after me as I head out towards the parking lot. Figures that the foursome finish their game and leave just before I do.

* * *

Fin  
August 2007  
by JeiC  
---  
Author's notes: The inspiration for this prompt is thanks to a group of four guys playing dominoes very loudly on the other side of the student lounge while I was trying to finish typing up a paper (I was going to blow my eardrums out soon if I had to keep turning up the volume on my music). Hey, I'm taking inspiration where I can find it. Do I pretend to be Riku? No, but after talking with a few people trying to study near me, I'm pretty sure his reaction would have been the same.  
And yeah…another double prompt.

**For:** kingdom100  
**Claim:** Riku  
**Prompt:** Annoyance (#57)

**For:** NEIT Writing Group  
**Prompt:** Pretzels

* * *


End file.
